Well I got my other test back that I took last week and I got a 98%. I was pretty happy, since I was kind of worried that I might not have written enough.
I got all my reading done last night so I decided to sleep in until 8:30 today. It was nice. Last night I was coughing a lot so my host mom gave me some disgusting bee drops that made me want to vomit, but they worked. I didn't cough the rest of the night. According to her they are something that a bee secretes. I have no clue, I just know they tasked sick, but if I was in a pinch I would use it again. Since I slept in I decided to take a taxi and I got the dingiest driver I have ever had. First of all he went WAY out of the way to take me to school and he drove SUUUUUUPPPPPPPEEEEEEEERRRRR slow!!! So it took about twice the amount it should have taken to get here. I don't know if he was just inexperienced or thought that if he took me out of the way that I would have to pay him more. In any case I only paid him the rate I was supposed to pay, and got out.
I have two tests on Friday so I need to make sure I start studying at least by tomorrow night. I hope everyone is having a good week...and that the weather stays nice for you. It is supposed to heat up and apparently there is a hurricane brewing in the Caribbean which means we will have rain once it hits the coast.
Well I must be off to class...more learning for me.
Hasta luego,
Erin
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Fun but full weekend!
This weekend flew by, but it was definitely filled with lots of activity. On Saturday my roommate Amy, and two other classmates took a bus to Bernal, which is a town about 1 hour outside of Querétaro. In Bernal you can see the 3rd largest monolith in the world. It was huge, but we only climbed up so far until we got to the fence that keeps you from climbing higher. If you are into mountain climbing it would be an awesome thing to climb. Then we walked around the town and checked out the crafts that are sold. We had some gorditas for lunch. They are not like Taco Bell by the way. It is more or less a pita made of tortilla (corn) and filled with different ingredients. After lunch we got some fresh bread filled with cheese...DELICIOUS!!!!! We took the bus home at about 3 and got home by 4:30. Then Amy and I spend the rest of the day napping, because we were WORN out from walking and hiking in the sun.
On Sunday our host family invited us to a water park outside of San Miguel de Allende, which is about 30/45 minutes from the city. It was nice to get to ride in a car, a luxury that we don't often get here. Usually we ride the bus or take taxis. Unfortunately my host mom's boyfriend drives like a maniac. I think he probably would have gotten at least 7-8 tickets if he were driving in the US. He passed people in no passing zones with cars coming very close to hitting him, drove at excessive speeds and ignored all kinds of signs. It was crazy. Well, besides that it was a great day. They let you bring in food and drinks so we had ham sandwiches with mayonnaise for lunch and chips. We rode lots of water slides and swam in the pool from 11:30-6. Needless to say despite my putting on sunblock at least 6 times I am a little crispy. I will have to wear a t-shirt all week.
After the water park they took us to downtown San Miguel. There were gringos EVERYWHERE!!!! It is apparently a popular place for Americans to retire. The church there is beautiful. We ate elote (corn on the cob). Ours was actually cut off of the cob and put in a cup with lime, butter, mayonnaise and cheese. It was not exactly something I would order again, but at least I tried it. You can also get it with chile (chili powder), but I opted not to. The corn isn't as sweet as at home and it wasn't cooked thoroughly. Oh there is nothing like sweet corn with butter, salt and pepper in the summer!!
I took a lot of pictures, but didn't have time to upload them because we didn't get home until 9:30. So I will try to do that later today. It's my last week of these two classes and C.J. comes on FRIDAY!!!!! We will be in Mexico City from Friday to next Tuesday so I may not post much, but we'll see.
Have a great week! It sounds like this one will be much drier than last! :)
Erin
On Sunday our host family invited us to a water park outside of San Miguel de Allende, which is about 30/45 minutes from the city. It was nice to get to ride in a car, a luxury that we don't often get here. Usually we ride the bus or take taxis. Unfortunately my host mom's boyfriend drives like a maniac. I think he probably would have gotten at least 7-8 tickets if he were driving in the US. He passed people in no passing zones with cars coming very close to hitting him, drove at excessive speeds and ignored all kinds of signs. It was crazy. Well, besides that it was a great day. They let you bring in food and drinks so we had ham sandwiches with mayonnaise for lunch and chips. We rode lots of water slides and swam in the pool from 11:30-6. Needless to say despite my putting on sunblock at least 6 times I am a little crispy. I will have to wear a t-shirt all week.
After the water park they took us to downtown San Miguel. There were gringos EVERYWHERE!!!! It is apparently a popular place for Americans to retire. The church there is beautiful. We ate elote (corn on the cob). Ours was actually cut off of the cob and put in a cup with lime, butter, mayonnaise and cheese. It was not exactly something I would order again, but at least I tried it. You can also get it with chile (chili powder), but I opted not to. The corn isn't as sweet as at home and it wasn't cooked thoroughly. Oh there is nothing like sweet corn with butter, salt and pepper in the summer!!
I took a lot of pictures, but didn't have time to upload them because we didn't get home until 9:30. So I will try to do that later today. It's my last week of these two classes and C.J. comes on FRIDAY!!!!! We will be in Mexico City from Friday to next Tuesday so I may not post much, but we'll see.
Have a great week! It sounds like this one will be much drier than last! :)
Erin
Friday, June 25, 2010
I got an A!!!
I got an A on my test I took yesterday! This makes for a great beginning of the weekend. I'm not sure what we are going to do this weekend, but I will let you know. Last night we met to eat at Chili's and have a few Margarita's. It was a good time. On Sunday my host mom invited us to go to some theme park with them, so I'll have some pics to post. I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!
Hasta pronto,
Erin
Hasta pronto,
Erin
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
USA all the way!
USA soccer beat Algeria in their World Cup game today and advances to the next round. They play Ghana on the 26th! It is so exciting! I hope they do well, or at least that Spain loses!!!!! Mexico plays Argentina next and Argentina will be favored. We'll see how it goes. I'm just taking a break from studying for my Pre-colombian literature of Mesoamerica test. It actually doesn't seem like it's going to be too bad. n It is a 100 level class and I actually already knew a lot of the information that we are covering. I have high hopes for the test, but you never know. I think my other test yesterday in Latino Literature went well but I won't know until probably Monday because she has to grade a student's comprehensive exams and therefore doesn't have time to get ours done.
I went swimming yesterday after lunch and that was nice. I didn't get too tired, but I also only swam 50 meters at a time. I have a hard time getting my lungs trained and not feeling like I'm going to have an asthma attack. Last year it got better every time so I'm hopeful. We have a cute little park across the street and I went walking for awhile tonight.
Well I better get back to studying. I hope the rain stops soon at home and the heat too! Mom said that it has been pretty miserable since I left. Sorry I took all the good weather with me. :)
Hasta luego,
Erin
I went swimming yesterday after lunch and that was nice. I didn't get too tired, but I also only swam 50 meters at a time. I have a hard time getting my lungs trained and not feeling like I'm going to have an asthma attack. Last year it got better every time so I'm hopeful. We have a cute little park across the street and I went walking for awhile tonight.
Well I better get back to studying. I hope the rain stops soon at home and the heat too! Mom said that it has been pretty miserable since I left. Sorry I took all the good weather with me. :)
Hasta luego,
Erin
Monday, June 21, 2010
Another beautiful day in Querétaro
The weekend went by really fast...I suppose that is always how it goes. On Friday night most of the students met at Harry's in "el centro" (the colonial center of the city). We had some drinks and food and hung out enjoying each other's company. It was really nice. Then several of us went to my favorite place to dance in QRO...Time Free. (It should be Free Time...but so it goes sometimes with bad translations) :) On Saturday Amy and I went to el centro to look around and buy jewelry and look for souvenirs. Then we went home and rested and around 8 we went to Pao's brother Pepe's house for a Father's day dinner with many of her family of their friends. They grilled out and we hung out. On Sunday Rafa (Pao's boyfriend) took Amy, Pao and I out to lunch at Cibbo. We had pizza and salad. The food was amazing!!!!! Then we went to Pao's parent's house for a popsicle and conversation. Afterwards Rafa took us to the movies and we watched Killers. We got home around 10, so it was a busy day. I was still able to get my reading done for today.
Today is just another normal day of classes. The weather is absolutely beautiful. I'm actually kind of cold and had to put on a long sleeve shirt today. I couldn't ask for better weather. I did get sunburnt on Saturday walking around so it hurts to wear my backpack. Tomorrow I have my first test, so I will be studying a lot tonight. Mexico plays Uruguay tomorrow and that should be a really good game. I might watch some of it because it is at 9 and I don't have class until 10:45.
Well that's all for now. I hope everyone had a great Father's day!
Hasta pronto,
Erin
Today is just another normal day of classes. The weather is absolutely beautiful. I'm actually kind of cold and had to put on a long sleeve shirt today. I couldn't ask for better weather. I did get sunburnt on Saturday walking around so it hurts to wear my backpack. Tomorrow I have my first test, so I will be studying a lot tonight. Mexico plays Uruguay tomorrow and that should be a really good game. I might watch some of it because it is at 9 and I don't have class until 10:45.
Well that's all for now. I hope everyone had a great Father's day!
Hasta pronto,
Erin
Thursday, June 17, 2010
¡México venció a Francia!
I just got done watching the world cup game with Mexico and France. We watched it in the cafeteria and they had a projector and projected it onto the wall. It was full of people and the atmosphere was electric. Mexico won 2-0 and it was great. Everyone was hugging and clapping and so happy. The cafeteria workers even had face paint that is green white and red stripes together that they put on our faces if we wanted, and almost everyone on campus today was dressed in green. It is really cool that I get to be here during the whole World Cup. Spain lost yesterday and I think Spain and France were in the final in the last World Cup. USA plays Slovenia tomorrow and I don't have class during it, so I'm going to watch it too.
My classes are going well. I feel like I have so much less homework this year than last. Plus I have already read most of the lit that we have to read for the class, so that lightens my load even less.
Yesterday I was sick, I think I have a sinus infection and I was feeling really homesick. I went to bed around 7. My host mom's sister in law is a doctor so she saw me and they got me some anti-biotics and I feel a lot better today. There is nothing worse than being sick away from home.
Tomorrow we are planning to go out after classes and dance, so that will be fun. Then on Saturday we are going to visit Bernal, which is a little town that has apparently the 3rd largest monolith in the world...or something like that. I have never gone so I am excited for that. I have my first test next Tuesday and the other on Wednesday so the weekend should give me lots of time to read and study.
I got to go visit Pao's (my host mom) parent's house. They have a popsicle store that is nearby and I had a great lime popsicle two days in a row. Her parents are so nice and her dad wanted to make sure that Pao got me a popsicle before I left their house.
Well...that's all for today. I posted some pics of my house. I can't quite figure out how to put them all in the same place, so for now that is how I will post them.
Happy Thursday!
Erin
My classes are going well. I feel like I have so much less homework this year than last. Plus I have already read most of the lit that we have to read for the class, so that lightens my load even less.
Yesterday I was sick, I think I have a sinus infection and I was feeling really homesick. I went to bed around 7. My host mom's sister in law is a doctor so she saw me and they got me some anti-biotics and I feel a lot better today. There is nothing worse than being sick away from home.
Tomorrow we are planning to go out after classes and dance, so that will be fun. Then on Saturday we are going to visit Bernal, which is a little town that has apparently the 3rd largest monolith in the world...or something like that. I have never gone so I am excited for that. I have my first test next Tuesday and the other on Wednesday so the weekend should give me lots of time to read and study.
I got to go visit Pao's (my host mom) parent's house. They have a popsicle store that is nearby and I had a great lime popsicle two days in a row. Her parents are so nice and her dad wanted to make sure that Pao got me a popsicle before I left their house.
Well...that's all for today. I posted some pics of my house. I can't quite figure out how to put them all in the same place, so for now that is how I will post them.
Happy Thursday!
Erin
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
¡Viva México!
Well soccer fever is all around! Everyone is talking about it, and I can't wait until next week when Mexico plays. It's going to be crazy!
Well I got to play laser tag with Toño in the park last night and it was a ton of fun. He also told us a bunch of jokes and he sat and ate Nutella by the spoonful while I read and took notes on my homework. I was worried that he wouldn't understand what the laser tag game was because everything was in English, but when I get home he told me he had already played with his mom and aunt earlier. Any was very excited about the Justin Bieber t-shirt and CD that I got her. Apparently she already listened to the whole thing.
Pao gave me a neck massage and hopefully I will be able to get this crick out of my neck and shoulder. It is really painful and I don't know how it happened, but it hurts from the top of my head down my right shoulder and I can barely lift my right arm. I guess it's a good thing to have a host mom who's a masseuse.
I took some pics of my house and I will probably post them later today. Well, I suppose I should do some studying for class.
Hasta pronto (Talk to you soon),
Erin
Well I got to play laser tag with Toño in the park last night and it was a ton of fun. He also told us a bunch of jokes and he sat and ate Nutella by the spoonful while I read and took notes on my homework. I was worried that he wouldn't understand what the laser tag game was because everything was in English, but when I get home he told me he had already played with his mom and aunt earlier. Any was very excited about the Justin Bieber t-shirt and CD that I got her. Apparently she already listened to the whole thing.
Pao gave me a neck massage and hopefully I will be able to get this crick out of my neck and shoulder. It is really painful and I don't know how it happened, but it hurts from the top of my head down my right shoulder and I can barely lift my right arm. I guess it's a good thing to have a host mom who's a masseuse.
I took some pics of my house and I will probably post them later today. Well, I suppose I should do some studying for class.
Hasta pronto (Talk to you soon),
Erin
Monday, June 14, 2010
I made it! 1 day of classes down!
Well I made it to my house last night at about 9:30. Any, my host sister let us in and I was so happy to see her, Toño (my host brother) and Pao (my host mom) again. I love that I have had the same family for three years. It feels like I was coming home when I came inside. They did move to a different and bigger apartment but it still feels like home. Toño knew that he was going to get a gift, so he was all excited. I didn't want to give him his gift (a lazer tag game) because I knew he would try and stay up until the wee hours of the morning trying to play it. So I teased him a lot and left it for him this morning. I am sure he will be excited when I get home and I might just have to play with him.
Everyone is crazy about the World Cup here and I think Mexico plays this week, so that will be really cool. I had two classes today: Precolombian Literature and Culture and Literature of Latinos in the U.S. I am very excited about both. I am looking forward to learning a lot and hopefully continuing to get good grades.
My roommate is from Pennsylvania and her name is Amy. I think she is a bit younger than me, but I'm not sure.
My cell phone works so you can call me if you want. Just not between 9 and 2 because I have class and need to study. I used it in both Querétaro and Mexico City and it works. I talked to C.J. yesterday and he is really happy and excited that he went to camp, so that is great. Only three weeks and he comes to Mexico.
Saludos desde México (Greetings from Mexico),
Erin
Everyone is crazy about the World Cup here and I think Mexico plays this week, so that will be really cool. I had two classes today: Precolombian Literature and Culture and Literature of Latinos in the U.S. I am very excited about both. I am looking forward to learning a lot and hopefully continuing to get good grades.
My roommate is from Pennsylvania and her name is Amy. I think she is a bit younger than me, but I'm not sure.
My cell phone works so you can call me if you want. Just not between 9 and 2 because I have class and need to study. I used it in both Querétaro and Mexico City and it works. I talked to C.J. yesterday and he is really happy and excited that he went to camp, so that is great. Only three weeks and he comes to Mexico.
Saludos desde México (Greetings from Mexico),
Erin
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